Lucas Lies Pt 1
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Tree Hill Dreams S1. Lucas Mallone, the new boy at Tree Hill High, lies every day.
1. The New Boy

LUCAS LIES

DISCLAIMER

This story is incomplete with only the first sixth chapters written. Title comes from the song Alyssa Lies by John Michael Carroll. **Majorly** AU season 1. Dan still got both Deb and Karen pregnant ultimately choosing Deb, but Karen gave up Lucas for adoption without notifying Dan and then left Tree Hill so she's not in this at all. Dan is actually nice in this story. Nathan and Peyton have already broken up, but are trying to be friends and Haley has just started tutoring Nathan. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Deals with physical and sexual abuse of a main character.

CHAPTER ONE: THE NEW BOY

Nathan Scott nervously walked into the academic resource center with a test in his hand. His tutor Haley James met him.

"Hey, Nate," she greeted. "Is that your Spanish test?" she asked.

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"Well, what'd you get?" she questioned.

"I don't know. I've been too nervous to look," he admitted.

"Oh, come on. I'm sure you did fine. You really studied for this," she stated, taking the sheet. "82? Nathan this is great!" she exclaimed, wrapping him in a hug.

"Wait. An 82? Are you serious?" he asked, taking the sheet and staring at it. He laughed when saw the grade. "Wow. I don't believe it," he said.

"I can. You've really been working hard to improve your grades. I'm **so** proud of you," she responded. Nathan laughed and they walked off together. Meanwhile, best friends, Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis were talking as they getting ready for class.

"So, how are things in the Peyton and Nathan Dynasty Saga?" Brooke questioned.

"Things are actually okay between us. He's not so much of a jerk anymore, and he seems to be paying attention in classes," Peyton replied.

"Who knew Tutor Girl would be such a good influence on him?" Brooke queried.

"Yeah. He's becoming someone I can actually stand talking to for more than ten minutes," Peyton stated. They laughed. Meanwhile, no one noticed a white sedan pulling up to the parking lot. The boy cut the engine and then got out and walked up the steps. In the halls, Brooke and Peyton caught sight of the new boy. Peyton's breath caught. He was tall, somewhat lanky with shaggy blond hair that was somewhat short in the back. _Whoa. Hot boy, she thought to herself_.

"Whoa. Who is **that**?" she questioned aloud.

"Must be new," her friend answered. _He is seriously cute_, she thought, glancing at him. They watched as he headed for the principal's office.

"Yikes. What a way to start the school year," Brooke commented.

"Oh, come on. Principal Turner's not so bad," Peyton objected. In the principal's office, the boy sat nervously as the man went over his transcripts.

"Well Lucas, your grades are good, but it would appear that you have a bit of an attitude problem," Principal Derek Turner commented.

"I don't---" Lucas Mallone began to object.

"Says here that before you transferred, you got a two-day suspension for fighting," Principal Turner went on, ignoring the interruption.

"That was a mistake," Lucas said softly.

"And the other suspensions? Those were for fighting as well," Principal Turner reminded.

"What can I say? I'm a screw up," Lucas shrugged. Principal Turner stared at the boy. He didn't sound arrogant or cocky saying that, but rather...defeated. Like someone had drilled it into his head.

"Well, I believe in a clean slate. What do you say we make the faculty at your old school eat the words they put on here?" he suggested, holding up the transcripts.

"Whatever. Can I just get my schedule?" Lucas questioned.

"Yeah, sure," Principal Turner agreed, handing a sheet to the young man. He stood up, grabbed his backpack, and walked out without a word.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I got Lucas' hairstyle from vids I've seen on youtube with him in Dawson's Creek.


	2. Surprise

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. I know in the series, the guys and girls had different phys ed classes (if the ep where Nathan taught Haley to shoot a free throw is any indication), but I felt for my story, it worked better as a coed class. I use a line from the original Pilot and a piece of dialogue from Messin With The Kid.

Lucas looked at his schedule and then at the numbers on the doors. All he had to do was find his homeroom. But where was his homeroom? He continually checked the number on his sheet with the ones on the doors, increasing his frustration.

"Hey. You look lost," he heard someone say as two people came up to him. Jumping, he turned around. To his surprise, it was a girl with long brown hair and hazel eyes and a taller boy with short black hair and brown eyes. Lucas noticed the letterman's jacket, but said nothing.

"What room are you looking for?" the girl questioned.

"Homeroom," Lucas answered.

"Come on. We'll take you," the boy offered.

"Thanks," Lucas stated and then followed the two. Once in the classroom, he started to go to the back of the room.

"Hey, why don't you sit with us?" the girl offered.

"Are…you sure?" Lucas asked nervously. He didn't want to make waves here. All he was interested in was making it through his first day.

"Yeah. It'll be more fun than sitting by yourself," the boy answered. Lucas laughed.

"I'm Haley James and this is Nathan Scott," the girl introduced them.

"Lucas Mallone," Lucas said. Once seated, he focused on the front of the room. Nathan and Haley looked at each other, and then shrugged. It was the same for every class he was in. Lucas would focus on the teacher and nothing else. Finally, it was fourth period gym class.

"Man, I hate phys ed," Haley groaned.

"Don't worry about it, Hales. You'll be fine," Nathan assured. Coach Brian "Whitey" Durham blew his whistle.

"Okay, everyone. Line up. Today we're going to do a little basketball," he announced.

"Oh, joy. If we don't see **that** every week," Peyton commented with a roll of her eyes. Brooke laughed. The kids were divided into teams and played a quick game. Nathan found himself staring at Lucas. _Wow. His game is good. We could use him on the team_, he thought to himself. Lucas landed a winning three-point shot for his team right before Whitey blew his whistle.

"Wow! Nice shot!" Peyton called. Lucas just gave her a raised eyebrow and then headed out with everyone else. At lunch, Lucas got a tray of food and then sat an empty table in the corner, away from prying eyes. _Man, what a day_, he thought to himself. He hated being the new kid. At least those two kids---Haley and Nathan he thought it was---seemed to be okay. Almost as if he had conjured them up just by thinking about them, they suddenly came up to his table, followed by two girls. One was about the same height as Haley with blonde hair and brown eyes, while the shorter one had brunette hair with dark eyes. As the two sat down, Lucas noted the words on the blonde girl's notebook.

"That's Me Inside Your Head," he noted.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "You know Nofx?" she questioned.

"Yeah. They're pretty good," Lucas said. "But Metallica's better," he added.

"What do you think about the Cure?" the girl asked.

"Good beat, but some of their lyrics can get depressing and whiney," Lucas answered.

"What are you crazy? They sing it from the heart," the girl objected.

"Okay, changing the subject," Nathan interjected. "That's Brooke Davis and you've been discussing music with Peyton Sawyer," he stated.

"I'm Lucas Mallone," he told them.

"Nice to meet you," they all said.

"So hey, that was a pretty good game in the gym. You should go out for the team. We got tryouts after school," Nathan stated.

"Yeah, you'd be great," Haley agreed.

"No, I don't think so. My dad---he doesn't really like things like that," Lucas told them.

"Come on, man. It'd be fun," Nathan urged.

"I don't know. He and my mom don't really approve of the whole jock thing," Lucas objected.

"Hey, look at it this way. It'll keep you out of trouble after school. How could they disapprove of **that**?" Nathan pointed out.

"You don't know my parents," Lucas responded. He hesitated for a few moments. He liked the feeling of freedom he had when he snuck in a game. He knew he shouldn't, but Nathan's offer was **so** tempting. "All right. All right, I'll go," he finally agreed. Brooke, Peyton, Haley, and Nathan whooped in delight. Then, they realized lunch was over and hurried off to their classes. Later that afternoon, after he changed into a uniform, Lucas and the others gathered in the gym. The blond-haired boy looked around nervously.

"Maybe---maybe this was a bad idea," he stammered.

"No way, man. From what I saw in phys ed, you got talent," the other boy disagreed. "Come on, scrimmage with me." The two boys went into a layup drill. A few minutes later, Deb Scott, her husband Dan, and his older brother Keith came in and sat on the bleachers.

"The team's looking good," Keith noted.

"Yes, but they are short-handed ever since Jake Jagielski dropped from the team to take care of his daughter Jenny," Dan reminded them.

"That poor boy. It must be hard for him," Deb commented.

"Yeah, but at least he's getting help from his parents," Keith agreed. Then, "Who's that with Nathan?" Dan and Deb followed the man's gaze to see their son with a blond-haired boy.

"I don't know. He's good though," Deb said as they watched him put three baskets in a row through the net. Dan couldn't help but stare at the blond teen. There was something familiar about him, but he couldn't figure out what. The boy turned so that his face was to the crowd. Dan inhaled sharply, feeling as if someone had punched the air out of him.

"Dan?" Deb asked, sensing the change in her husband.

"What's wrong, little brother?" Keith questioned.

"It's Lucas," Dan said. "I think that's Lucas."


	3. Behind Closed Doors

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

LizMary96: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Thanks.

Peyt4Luke4eva: Thanks, here you go.

Tweetiebird86: Glad you think so. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot.

"Lucas? Are you sure?" Keith queried.

"He has Karen's eyes," Dan confirmed. They continued watching him.

"Wow. If that really **is** him, he's grown," Deb stated. As the practice continued, Lucas suddenly felt a pair of eyes on him. His brows furrowed, he turned around to see two men and a woman staring at him. _Why are they staring at me_? he wondered. He forced himself to stop thinking about them and continued until Whitey blew his whistle. Everyone lined up.

"You all did great. You'll find out in a couple of days if you made the team or not," Whitey told them. The boys went into the locker room to change.

"Hey. You were great. I bet Whitey picks you," Nathan stated.

"Ah, he'll have to pick someone else. My parents will never let me play," Lucas replied as finished putting on his regular clothes. His eyes strayed to the clock. "Hey, is that clock right?" he queried. The other boy followed his gaze.

"Yeah, it's right," Nathan confirmed.

"Oh, man! I gotta go! My parents will flip!" Lucas exclaimed. He grabbed his things and hurried out to the parking lot. He quickly got into his car and headed off. _Man! I am gonna be in so much trouble!_ he thought to himself. A few minutes later, he parked in his driveway and cut the engine. Then, he nervously drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He didn't want to go in. Just then, the front door banged open and Lucas jumped in surprise.

"LUCAS!" Jack Mallone bellowed as he came up to the car.

"Dad," Lucas said in dread as he unbuckled himself.

"GET OUT OF THE CAR…NOW!" the man yelled, leaning over and pulling him over the door.

"Dad, just calm down," Lucas implored as he fell to the ground.

"WHERE WERE YOU?" Jack shouted.

"Hey! Is everything okay out there?" someone called, jogging up. _Brooke?_ Lucas thought to himself.

"Yeah. Lucas just fell getting out of the car. He's so clumsy," Jack answered, instantly becoming much calmer. "You okay, son?" he asked, helping him up.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Dad. Thanks," Lucas assured as he leaned over the car seat to get his backpack.

"Are you sure?" Brooke questioned.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. Go home," Lucas answered. She looked at Lucas worriedly. "Go home," he insisted. Sighing, she did so.

"Get inside," Mr. Mallone hissed in his son's ear. Lucas did as he was told.

"Where was the little brat?" Brenda Mallone demanded.

"I---I stayed after school," Lucas answered, sitting down at the table.

"You got in trouble on your first day? That's a new one for you, Lucas," his mother stated.

"No! It---it wasn't like that. It wasn't even my idea," Lucas protested.

"If you weren't in trouble, why did you stay late?" his father questioned, clapping a hand on his shoulder. Lucas started to answer, but stopped. They'd both flip if he told, but it'd be worse if he kept it from them. "Well, boy?" the man persisted, putting pressure on his shoulder.

"There---there was a tryout. Basketball," Lucas stammered. It was like a trigger had gone off. The next thing Lucas knew, he had been thrown to the ground.

"Sports? You're trying to get involved with sports?" his father growled.

"No! It wasn't even my idea! We had basketball in phys ed and I guess one of the guys on the team thought I was good," Lucas protested. He groaned in pain as his father kicked him in the ribs.

"What have I told you about sports?" the man demanded, kicking him again.

"That they're only for spoiled brats," Lucas responded with a moan.

"That's right. And no son of mine is going to turn into that. I won't allow it," Jack declared. Lucas whimpered in pain as a boot once again connected with his ribs. Brenda scoffed and walked up to them.

"I can't believe you, Lucas. You get yourself kicked out of school and you decide to be stupid on the first day of a new school when you could be making a fresh start? What is wrong with you?" she wondered, letting out a kick of her own. Lucas moaned again. Then, he was violently raised to his feet.

"Go do your homework, and then straight to bed. We'll discuss this later," his father told him. Lucas only nodded. He wasn't going to protest about missing dinner. It'd do no good. He grabbed his backpack and headed for his room where he carefully sat on his bed. He was going to be so bruised tomorrow. He took out his textbooks and started reading. A few hours later, his eyes started to droop. With a sigh, he put his books on his dresser. Then, he quickly changed into a jersey shirt and slid under the covers. It seemed like he had just closed his eyes when he heard his door opening.

"No," he whispered, sinking into sheet.

"Luke?" his father asked.

"Please, Dad. Not tonight," he begged. The door closed and the man walked up to the bed. Lucas groaned as he sat on the bed. "No," he whispered again, trying to move away. The man grabbed his shoulder and forced him into a sitting position. With a sigh and slumped shoulders, Lucas let his father remove his shirt and pin him to the bed. And the nightmare started all over again.


	4. Upsetting News

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Tweetiebird86: Well, I **did** warn you right from the beginning that it'd be in here. That'll be explained later in the story. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Aimed Mischief: Thanks.

Long Live BRUCAS: Well, it's season 1, so I'd put them at about sixteen. Maybe. Haven't decided yet. Yep. Yeah, I always figured Turner was perceptive. Yeah. Totally. Well, the triangle may be a little different this time around given Luke's mindset. Read on and see.

Thugalet: Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

Simone1: Yeah. Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

Lmary96: Lol. Yeah.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Thoughts and flashbacks are in italics.

Rock blared from the radio and Lucas moaned. It felt like he had just gotten to sleep. He shut off his radio, got out of bed, and got dressed. As he buckled his jeans, the denim rubbed against a bruise and he winced. When he was fully clothed, he grabbed his backpack and went downstairs.

"'Bout time you came down," his father said.

"Sorry," he apologized softly.

"There's some pop tarts on the shelf," the man continued.

"Thanks," the boy said and went to the shelf that his father had indicated. When he got his breakfast, he sat at the table. It was one of the rules. Unless he was being punished, he had to sit down at the kitchen table to eat a meal. His parents said it was cozier that way. Lucas wasn't entirely sure who they were trying to kid though. No one would ever mistake their home for a cozy one. His father watched as he ate. A few minutes later, he was done and he stood up, grabbed his backpack, and left without another word. As he headed out, Brooke hurried out to him.

"Hey, Luke!" she cried. He sighed but slowed down so she could catch up.

"What?" he asked.

"Is everything okay? I mean, yesterday looked pretty bad," she stated.

"Dad was just worried, and I fell getting out of the car. I'm really clumsy," he said.

"Are you sure?" she queried.

"Yeah, everything's cool," he told her. They continued to walk until they came across Nathan and Peyton in Nathan's car.

"Hey, you guys need a ride?" Nathan offered, slowing down.

"You don't mind?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"Of course they don't mind," Brooke answered for the boy, and they got in. "So…where's Tutor Girl?" she wondered.

"Haley's probably already there," Nathan responded with a chuckle at the nickname. Lucas remained silent. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the group yet. They seemed okay, but...he was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. When they got to the school, Nathan parked, and everyone got out. Lucas headed for his first class, quickly walking away from the group. He just---he just had to stay away from them. He couldn't---he couldn't let them find out anything. Nathan and the others, though confused, let their new friend be.

"Come on. I wanna see who made the team real quick," Nathan urged. The girls laughed, but followed him. The boy searched the roster. Then, "Dude! We gotta find Luke!" Before they could stop him, he ran off. Lucas was in his classroom getting his school supplies out when Nathan, Brooke, and Peyton ran in.

"Luke, dude! You made it!" Nathan exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Lucas asked in confusion.

"The team, man! You made the team!" Nathan reported. Instead of an exclamation of excitement like he expected, the other boy's face paled.

"What?" he asked hoarsely.

"Hey, man. Are you okay?" Peyton queried.

"I'm---I'm gonna be---" Lucas made a retching sound and he dashed out of the classroom, heading in the direction of where he had noticed a men's room. Once there, he immediately upchucked into a sink. _Oh, man! Mom and Dad will kill me!_ he thought to himself.

"_What have I told you about sports?" the man demanded, kicking him again._

_"That they're only for spoiled brats," Lucas responded with a moan._

_"That's right. And no son of mine is going to turn into that. I won't allow it," Jack declared._ Lucas panted shakily, and after emptying the contents of his stomach into the sink, dropped to his knees. With a moan, he buried his face in his lap.


	5. Pain Behind The Masks

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Aimed Mischief: Yeah.

Sara: Yeah. I'm not too sure when I'll have that happen, though it will eventually.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

Lmary96: We'll see.

Long Live BRUCAS: Yep. It's the way he's been conditioned growing up. Yeah, I figured that'd be his mindset. You'll see.

Tweetibird86: Ah, I see. I'm not sure which way I'll go. I'm a fan of both ships. Well, you halfway read my mind about him gettin' paired up for a project. Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot.

The sound of the door opening caused the boy to jump up in defense.

"Luke, you all right?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Look, uh---you're going to have to tell the coach to find someone else. My parents will never let me play," Lucas replied.

"Come on, I'm sure they will," Nathan said.

"No, they won't. Not ever," Luke insisted. "Look man, no offense to your or your friends, but in my parents' minds sports is only for spoiled brats, so trust me when I say they will **never** let me play," he continued. Nathan stared at Lucas in confusion. Was he serious? The look in his eyes seemed to say that he was.

"Okay, man. I'll see if I can talk to Whitey," he said with a sigh.

"Thank you," the other boy responded.

"Come on. We gotta get to class," his friend told him, helping him up. The two boys walked back to class.

"You boys are late," the teacher said sharply as they took their seats.

"Yeah, sorry. Luke got sick all of a sudden, and I went to check on him," Nathan lied.

"How are you feeling now, Mr. Mallone?" the teacher questioned, his tone softening.

"Better, thanks," Lucas responded. He opened his notebook and got his pencil poised. As the teacher continued his lecture, the boy forced himself to pay attention. He just---he had to concentrate. It was day now. Everything was okay. The night was over. Things were always better in the daylight. He knew that. Nathan couldn't help but stare at the blond-haired boy. He had been so tense ever since he found out he had made the basketball team. And what was that nonsense he had been spouting about his parents believing that sports was only for spoiled brats? Who would tell their kid something like that? It just didn't make sense. Nathan made a mental note to himself to check on his new friend later that day. After a couple more classes came lunch. However, Lucas didn't go to lunch. Instead, he headed for where he figured the coach's office was.

"Hey, could you tell me where I can find the basketball coach's office?" he asked a student. Yeah, Nathan had said he'd talk to the coach for him, but Lucas wasn't going to hold his breath on that. They answered the question and he went on his way. When he got there, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," a gruff voice invited.

"Hi, Coach," Lucas greeted, stepping into the office.

"Well, now, son. What can I do for you?" Whitey questioned, looking at him.

"Look, I'm flattered that you think I'm good enough to join the team, but…you're going to have to remove me from the roster," Lucas told him.

"What are you talking about?" Whitey asked. Was this boy serious? Didn't he understand what an honor it was to play for the Ravens basketball team?

"Players need parental permission to play and I will **never** get it," Lucas answered. "So just do us both a favor and find somebody else." Without giving the man a chance to respond, he walked out and then closed the door. For a moment, the coach just stared at the empty spot in front of him. Then, "Well…if that just don't beat all." A few minutes later, Lucas headed home and parked his car in the driveway. Noticing that his parents' cars weren't at the house, he deduced that they were working late. He grabbed his backpack and went to his room where he immediately started on his homework. A couple of hours later, he heard the front door opening and he stiffened.

"Lucas?" he heard his father call.

"In my room," he answered. Footsteps approached and with a sigh, the boy stood up. He knew what was coming. The door opened and his father leaned against the frame.

"You finish your homework?" he questioned.

"Most of it. I've got a little left," was the response.

"Want a break?" came the offer. Lucas opened his mouth to decline but thought the better of it. The last time he had denied his father his wishes, it had ended badly.

"Sure," he said in a low tone. With that, the man walked in and forced the boy onto the bed. Meanwhile, at the Scott house, Dan, Deb, and Keith were talking while Nathan just silently picked at his food. Presently, Dan noticed this.

"Is everything all right, Son?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Nathan answered. "You remember how we had tryouts the other day?" he continued. The adults looked at each other nervously. They remembered. Dan had said that the blond boy could be Lucas. They just didn't have a legal reason to seek a paternity test to confirm it.

"Yes, Son, we remember," Dan replied.

"Well, we got the roster sheet back and the new kid---Luke---made the team," Nathan told them.

"Wow. That must've made his day," Keith commented.

"Yeah. The first few days at a new school and he's already on the basketball team," Deb agreed.

"Well, actually, it was the complete opposite," Nathan stated.

"What do you mean?" Dan asked.

"He got sick and threw up in the bathroom. Then he started spouting some sort of nonsense about his parents thinking sports is only for spoiled brats and that he'd never get their permission to play," Nathan continued. Once again, the adults shared a nervous look. **That** didn't sound good. What parent would belittle their kid's talent?

"Uh, well---maybe his parents have their reasons," Deb commented unconvincingly.

"Like, what? They dropped too much acid?" Nathan queried. Keith stifled a laugh. Back at her own house, Brooke hurried to the downstairs living room to escape her parents' arguing. As their voices got louder, the girl settled herself on the coach and moved the curtains aside to peer into the semi-darkness that came with the hour of the night. Without warning, she saw the front door to the house across the street from her fly open and Lucas slammed the door behind him. She watched as the boy slid to the ground, wrap his arms around himself, and hang his head, obviously crying. Suddenly feeling like an intruder from inside her own home, Brooke closed the curtain and settled down on the couch, her parents' angry voices ringing in her ears.


	6. In A Little Deeper

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AlexCurtis: Thanks. Oh, no. Luke wasn't at Brooke's. Brooke heard it from her own house. Sorry. Didn't mean to confuse you.

Lizmary96: Thanks, I switched POV to set up for something I have planned for down the road. Yeah.

Tweetiebird86: We'll see. This is true, and don't worry, I plan to address that later in the fic. We'll see. Hope this is soon enough for you.

Long Live BRUCAS: Nope. We'll see. Haven't decided yet. Yeah. All valid points. Just wait and see what happens.

Brooke: Yeah. Thanks.

Peyt4Luke4eva: Thanks. Yeah, I guess so. Here's more. Cool.

Aimed Mischief: Thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. For those who were confused about Luke's location in the previous chapter, he was at his own house. Brooke just heard everything from her place.

The sound of a sprinkler system turning on woke Lucas up. He groaned and blinked at the morning light. _Man, did I fall asleep out here?_ he wondered. He rubbed his face with a hand and then went back inside and to his room where he gathered up his things. Then, he headed out.

"Where do you think you're going?" a voice demanded.

"To school, Dad. Where else?" the boy answered.

"Without any breakfast?" Mr. Mallone questioned.

"I'm not hungry," Lucas lied. Before he could take another step, he was grabbed by the arm and violently pulled back.

"What are the rules, Lucas?" his father demanded. Lucas kept his mouth shut. "ANSWER ME!" the moan roared, shaking him.

"I'm not hungry," Lucas repeated. The man twisted his arm, causing the boy to cry out and drop to his knees.

"That's not what I asked you," the man growled. _Idiot! Just give him what he wants!_ his mind shouted. "Now…the rules?" he prompted. Lucas sighed and hung his head.

"I gotta sit down to meals," he muttered.

"What?"

"I gotta sit down to meals." He was hauled to his feet and pushed towards the kitchen. The boy got a bowl and poured himself some cereal.

"Where's Mom this morning?" he questioned as his father joined him.

"Your mother's not feeling well, so keep it down," came the snappish answer.

"A little too much booze again?" he queried.

"Hey, you watch your mouth," the man warned.

"Sorry," he apologized. Then, "How's she feeling?"

"Just keep it quiet," came the answer. _Oh, that's not good_, Lucas thought. After he was finished, he stood up, grabbed his bowl and spoon, walked to the sink, and started doing the dishes. After he was done, he once again headed out.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To school."

"Why don't you just stay home today?" The boy froze at the suggestion and looked at his father's smirking face.

"No. I---I can't. How would that look?" he pointed out. The man stood up and approached him.

"Are you talking back?"

"I just don't think---" a resounding smack cut off his suggestion.

"I gotta go." With that, he grabbed his backpack, went out to his car, and then drove to school. Once there, he headed straight for his locker, ignoring everybody. Meanwhile, Brooke, who had been talking with the rest of the Raven cheerleaders noticed the newcomer and quickly walked up to him.

"Hey, Luke," Brooke greeted cheerfully, bounding up to him.

"Hey," he grunted.

"What's wro---" her eyes widened as he turned to look at her. "What happened?" she questioned.

"I fell out of bed. I'm fine," Lucas answered, and then walked off before she could say anything. _What's up with him?_ Brooke wondered. As he took a seat, his father's smirk flashed in his head. _Why can't I catch a break?_ he wondered. In class, Lucas merely stared at his desk, only answering when called upon. This strategy served him well up until social studies.

"I've decided that it's time for a class project," the teacher announced. Everyone groaned and Lucas tensed. _This can't be good_, he thought to himself. "The basis of this project is for each one of you to interview the other and find about their families and give a presentation on them in next Monday's class," the teacher continued. _Yeah. __**So**__ not good_, Lucas silently confirmed. "In order to keep friends from pairing up with friends, I will be pairing you up," the teacher stated, and then proceeded to do just that amidst the second groan that the class emitted. Lucas let his mind wander until he heard his name being called. He tensed and waited for the other name, hoping it would be some kid who was just like him: a nobody. However, luck wasn't on his side. His partner turned out to be Nathan Scott. Lucas groaned in trepidation. It was over. He was dead. After class, everyone stood up and went to their partners, while Lucas quickly walked up the teacher.

"Can I help you?" she questioned.

"Is it possible to get a new partner?" he requested.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mallone, but my decisions are always final," she told him.

"But my dad's not gonna like this. **Please**, give me another partner," Lucas implored. Nathan stared as a boy came up to him.

"Hey, Nathan. What's up?" he questioned.

"Oh, hey, Jake. There's somethin' up with the new kid," Nathan responded, turning to his friend.

"Oh, yeah. Lucas, right?" Jake Jagielski queried.

"Yeah," Nathan responded.

"So, what's his deal?" Jake wondered.

"No clue," Nathan answered. Then, "Hey. How's Jenny doing?" Jake's face lit up.

"Oh, she's great. It seems like she's gettin' bigger all the time," he stated.

"Well, if you ever need any help---"

"Thank you." With a huff of annoyance, Lucas whirled around on his heel and stomped out of the classroom.

"I think I better---"

"Yeah." Nathan and Jake passed each other, and Nathan went to his next class. As Lucas slouched in his seat, Haley looked at him in confusion.

"Hey, you all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. It's just---it's complicated," he lied. Meanwhile, Keith was working at his garage, Keith Scott's Body Shop, when Dan came in.

"What can I do for you, little brother?" Keith questioned.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"Nah, come on in." Dan sighed and took a seat.

"You thinkin' 'bout the kid?"

"What if it **is** Lucas? What if after all this time, I've finally found him?" Keith stared at Dan. He remembered how---after Deb had finally gotten him to come to his senses about having Karen and her son in his life---he had been frantic when he learned in a note from Karen that his son's name was Lucas and had been given up for adoption. The search had continued for years, though it had recently dwindled. Dan looked at his older brother.

"Keith…if it **is** Lucas…what do I do?"


	7. Discussion And Phone Calls

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Aimed Mischief: No! Not the Sam Winchester eyes! Lol. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Here's more.

Peyt4Luke4eva: Yep. Glad you like. We'll see. Here's more.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

Jess: Thanks. Glad I could help. No prob. Keep reading.

LizMary96: Yep. That he is. We'll see what happens.

Tweetiebird86: Cool, thanks. We'll see. Glad you think so.

Long Live BRUCAS: Thank you. Yep. Yeah, I figured it'd be a good twist. We'll see. Again, we'll see.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Even though this is an AU season 1, I'm using an idea that was seen in the season 2 episode "Lifetime Piling Up".

After school, Nathan stopped by his mother's diner, Deb's Den.

"Hey, Mom. Could you use some help?" Nathan asked.

"That'd be great. One of the waitresses called in sick---at the last minute," Deb responded.

"Oh, that's helpful," Nathan said sarcastically. "Where do I start?" His mother pointed to a table and the boy immediately went over to it. Within minutes, the boy was working furiously as the business began to pick up. Presently, Haley, Brooke, and Peyton walked in.

"Hey, 23," Brooke greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, C.B.," Nathan responded.

"Hey, you made a rhyme," Haley pointed out. They all laughed. Brooke and Nathan had come up with the 23 and Captain Brooke or C.B. nicknames earlier that semester.

"So, what do you think of Mrs. Conner's project for social studies?" Peyton wondered.

"I, for one, think it's pretty cool. I mean, what better way to get to know someone?" Haley said.

"Good point," Nathan agreed.

"Speaking of which, does anyone know who Marvin McFadden is? He's my partner, and I'm **really** trying not to be like a witch who doesn't even know the people in her own class," Brooke commented. Peyton and Nathan frowned, trying to place the name and face. However, they each drew a blank.

"Oh, you got Mouth," Haley grinned.

"You know him?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah. He's nice. Not really part of your circle, but he's really funny," Haley said.

"That explains why he looked so shell-shocked when he heard that we were paired up," Brooke mused.

"Speaking of being shell-shocked, did anybody else catch the new boy's reaction to the news that he was partnered up with Nathan?" Peyton questioned.

"You noticed that?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah," Peyton nodded.

"I didn't notice anything. What happened?" Haley asked.

"He freaked and then tried to get a different partner," Nathan recalled.

"Really?" Haley questioned.

"Yeah. It was weird," Nathan nodded. Meanwhile, Lucas was at his house, sitting at the kitchen table and frantically writing. He---he had to get this done. He couldn't let his father know that he had been paired up with a member of the basketball team. Hearing footsteps, he tensed and turned around.

"Hard at work?" his father questioned.

"Yes, Sir," Lucas responded.

"What are you working on?"

"Social studies project. I was assigned a partner and I have to tell them about me."

"What are you going to tell them?" Lucas froze at the coldness in his father's voice.

"Just where you and Mom work, how I was lucky enough to get adopted by you…just the basic stuff." His father nodded his approval and the boy visibly relaxed.

"How 'bout when you're done there, you take a little break?" Lucas hesitated, and then nodded his consent. Yeah, he hated what his father did, but when the man was pleased…it wasn't so painful…or long. After he was done, Lucas put his work aside and stood up. The man smirked, grabbed his son's wrist, dragged him up the stairs, and then threw him on the bed. Lucas grunted from the impact. Then, he lay perfectly still as his father straddled him. The man chuckled and as he started in, the boy let his mind whisk him far away. In the place that he went to, there were people who loved him, who never hurt him. People who told him everything was going to be okay, that he just had to remain strong and fight. A stinging slap brought him back to reality.

"Pay attention, boy."

"Sorry." Lucas tensed as his father's actions became more forceful. He grunted as he felt himself being violated once more. _No_, he thought to himself. Why had he agreed to this? Why had he thought it wouldn't be so bad this time? It **always** went bad. Unconsciously, he began to struggle. He didn't want to do this anymore.

"Stop it," his father growled. But Lucas just kept fighting. "I said, 'Stop it'," the man snarled, putting a wrist on his windpipe. Lucas gagged. "You gonna be good?" Lucas nodded frantically and the man removed his wrist as he continued. After what seemed to be forever, he finally stopped. "Now, your mother and I are going out. You stay in tonight. Do whatever you want---I don't care. But you **don**'**t** go out. Understand?" Reluctantly, Lucas nodded. There was no point in arguing. Then, the man tidied himself up and went to collect his wife. After the two left, the boy blew out a breath and buried his head in his hands. What was he going to do? He wasn't sure if he could continue like this. He paced around nervously. Then, making a decision, he went to the kitchen, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. He waited until the call went through and then spoke rapidly.

"Hey, Julian. Yeah, it's me," he said. "No, no. I'm good, I'm good. I just---I miss ya, man. Yeah, Tree Hill's okay. Kinda big on the jock thing though." He listened for a few minutes. "What? No. Of course not. You know my parents would never allow me to join anything. Look, man. I got grounded and I needed someone to talk to, but if you're gonna---" the person on the other end of the line cut him off. He was once again silent as he listened to the other person. "I just---I don't know what to do. They're my parents. I mean, I know what they're doing isn't all that normal---but it could be worse---I could be out on the streets," he finally said. Then, "I---gotta go. Thanks for letting me catch up with you." With that, he hung up. Julian Norris stared at his phone. Then, he stood up.

"Julian?" one of his friends asked.

"Gotta go," Julian stated.

"What? Why?" the friend queried.

"I got a call from another friend of mine. He didn't sound too good." As he said this, Julian grabbed his jacket and car keys.

"Do you even know where he is?"

"Yeah. Tree Hill, North Carolina." With that, the eighteen-year old walked to his car, got in, and then drove off.


	8. Escalation

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Tweetiebird86: Glad you think so. If you're thinking they were involved romantically, no. Thanks.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

Long Live BRUCAS: You'll find out. Nope. Glad you approve.

DISCLAIMER

Inspired by the Jason Michael Carroll song, Alyssa Lies. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot.

After hanging up with Julian, Lucas sighed and sat in a chair. He raked his hair with his fingers. He just didn't know what to do anymore. _What am I doing wrong? I'm doing everything they want_, he thought to himself. He let out another heavy sigh and hung his head. _Why can't I catch a break? I never join anything…I keep to myself…_his thoughts trailed off. His parents had always been abusive, but for some reason, they had recently gotten even worse. He pushed up a shirtsleeve to reveal a purplish bruise. _What did I do to deserve this?_ he thought. Images of the abuse from the past few days raced through his head. With a strangled cry, he knocked over one of the chairs. Then, he let out a raspy sob. _Man! I hate this!_ Luke thought to himself. More images of the abuse came to head and before he knew what he was doing, Lucas had knocked all of the chairs to the floor. He put his hands on his head and his lip began to tremble. _I---I don't know what to do. It's not like anyone would believe me. I'm just a punk kid_, he thought to himself. He kicked a chair and then walked through them, pushing them further. He was so sick of this trash! He didn't need any of it. When he finally got to his room, he immediately knocked the few meager possessions he owned on the floor. After several minutes, he stopped and panted. Then, he slid to ground, sobbing. _I just---I just want it to stop_, he thought to himself. _Why won't it stop?_ he wondered. He half-heartedly kicked at a book and then slouched against the wall. He closed his eyes. And before he knew it, he had fallen into a deep sleep. All of a sudden, he felt himself being hauled to his feet.

"What the---?" The mumbled question was barely out of his mouth when he was slammed against the wall.

"What the heck did you do to the kitchen?" his father demanded.

"I---I---" Lucas stammered.

"Answer your father," his mother snapped, slapping him across the face.

"I---I'm sorry. I---I got upset," Lucas stammered again.

"What would **you** have to be upset about?" his father sneered. Lucas trembled.

"I---I had a bad day," he said.

"A bad day? You had a bad day?" his mother mocked. She struck him.

"Brenda, I'll handle this. You go to bed, baby," Jack stated. The woman gave her husband a kiss, and then walked off. Lucas paled. It was always worse when it was just the two of them. The man threw him to the floor.

"Please…don't hurt me," the boy begged.

"Oh, I'm going to do a lot more than hurt you, kid," his father threatened.

"Please. Please…no," Lucas begged again. The only response from the man was a violent kick. Lucas cried out in pain.

"You're such a waste of space. I don't know why we ever took you in." The boy whimpered in pain with at every jab.

"Stop…please." The man scoffed derisively.

"You back talkin' me, boy?" Lucas shook his head and started crawling away. "Where do you think **you**'**re** goin'?" The man bent down, grabbed his son's leg and pulled him back. Lucas started kicking at him in order to get away. Presently, one of his kicks made contact, knocking the older man back. Lucas scrambled to his feet and took off. The older man growled angrily. "Oh, you're gonna get it, boy." Lucas took off running. Meanwhile, Brooke was in the living room of her house, perusing her pile of makeup. Hearing faint yelling from across the street, she stood up and walked out. _What is going on over there?_ she wondered. This wasn't the first time she had heard something. There was the sound of something else and she took a tentative step forward. Should she go over there? Or would she do more harm than good? Back in the Mallone house, Lucas had reached the edge of the stairs when his father yanked him back.

"Now I'm **really** ticked off," he growled. Lucas' face paled.

"No…please," he gasped. He was forced onto his back and he began to fight. "Please, please, no." Jack backhanded Lucas and undid the boy's jeans, followed by his own. Luke let out a gasp of pain as his father took him. He began to struggle, but was pinned down. It didn't stop him from trying. Hearing more screams, Brooke took another step forward. Inside his house, Lucas managed to push his father off and climb to his feet. He headed for the stairs. Just as he started down the steps, he was pushed from behind. There was a resounding smack as the boy landed at the bottom of the stairs. However, the pain didn't stop him from getting up and running out the door. Brooke's eyes widened.

"Oh, my gosh! Lucas!" she exclaimed, running out the door and towards him. They heard thundering footsteps. "Come on!" she urged, pulling him towards her house.

"LUCAS!" Brooke pulled Lucas into her house and then locked the door. With a moan of pain, Lucas fell to the floor.

"Lucas!" Brooke knelt down beside him. "Come on. Get up." With another moan, he attempted to do so. She grabbed his arm and helped him. Then, she led him to her room, where she sat him on the bed and then turned to her desk, where she kept her cell phone.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm calling the police," she responded.

"Brooke, no!" He placed a hand on her wrist. "It was my fault. I ticked him off. He was just giving me what I deserved." The girl looked into his eyes and her heart broke. He honestly believed every word he said.

"Luke…no one deserves something like this…especially not **you**. I have to call the police," she told him.

"Brooke," he said desperately.

"I'm calling them," she insisted, and then did just that as Lucas sat on the bed and with a heavy sigh, ran his fingers through his hair.


	9. Arrest And Check Out

SHOUT OUT/ANSWERS

Loststolenandfound: Thanks. Here's more. Yeah, me too. Sorry, it's confusing, but I don't know how to do that, and even if I did, I always found those jarring in a story. Sorry. Glad you like it.

Tweetiebird86: Yep. You'll see.

Sara: Yep (proud grin). Here's more. Me neither to tell the truth. I'm still in the process of writing that part out.

AmandaTron: Thanks. I'm glad. Thanks. Read on and see. Well, here's a little more.

Peyt4Luke4eva: Read on and see. Thanks.

Long Live BRUCAS: Glad you approve of the way I did things. Read on. Maybe, maybe not. Again, maybe, maybe not. Yeah.

Dianehermans: Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. I'm not too sure on the procedure for documenting an abuse case or how to do a sexual assault kit on a guy, but I did the best I could.

As Brooke talked on her cell phone, Lucas paced. _What are you doing, you idiot? You're going to get in trouble!_ his mind screamed. Finally, the girl hung up.

"They'll be here soon," she reported.

"Brooke, I'm gonna get into **so** much trouble for this," he told her.

"Hey, this isn't your fault, Lucas. He's your father. He's supposed to protect you. And he's not," she reminded him. "He's hurting you. He's making you feel like you don't deserve anything, and you deserve a whole lot better. And a whole lot more." As she spoke, she gently caressed his cheek. Lucas surprised himself by leaning into the touch.

"Brooke, I got real lucky when the Mallone's adopted me. I could've been bounced around, or worse---out on the streets," he said.

"But you deserve to be loved. And have someone care for you," she said. Then, they heard the doorbell ring.

"That's them. Let's go."

"They got here pretty fast." Brooke didn't answer as she headed downstairs, Luke following close behind. Brooke opened the door as she saw Mr. Mallone being cuffed and read his rights.

"LUCAS! YOU LITTLE---" Lucas gasped and Brooke quickly stepped in front of him as the man tried to lunge at him. Two officers grabbed him and finished Mirandizing him. As two other officers came up, Brooke saw a woman in another squad car.

"Which one of you called us?" one of the officers questioned.

"Me," Brooke answered.

"Why is he being taken away?" Lucas queried at the same time.

"Took a swing at an officer," came the answer. "Now, what is this all about?" Brooke then proceeded to tell the officers what she had heard.

"Do you mind if I take a look?" she asked the boy. He shrugged.

"Whatever ." The officer perused the boy's face.

"Oooh. That looks pretty nasty," she noted, gesturing to the bruise.

"I've got a mouth," he said. The officer gently lifted a shirtsleeve to reveal more bruises.

"And these?" she asked gently.

"Like I said, I've got---" the boy began.

"A mouth," she finished. "Son, I think it might be a good idea to have a doctor check you out so they can determine the severity of your injuries," she continued.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Brooke and the officers watched in surprise as Lucas backed away.

"Lucas," Brooke said.

"No hospitals…please," he implored. _ If---if I get checked out---they'll---they'll discover the truth. And then everyone will know how dirty I am_, he thought to himself.

"Son, I realize this seems really scary, but we need to know the extent of your injuries," the woman told him.

"I was just---I back talked and he gave me what I deserved. Why is he being punished for that?" he wondered. The woman officer ran a hand over her face. _Man, I hate cases like this_, she thought to herself. She hated it when the victims thought that they were to blame.

"Son, I'm going to have to insist that you come with the hospital. We can get your statement there," she said out loud. With a sigh, the boy nodded.

"Okay," he accepted.

"It's going to be okay, Luke," the younger assured. Then, "Can I---"

"You can come too, Miss." They were escorted to a car and they drove off. Lucas nervously tapped his fingers on his leg.

"It'll be okay, Luke," Brooke assured, putting her hand on his hand. He smiled at her softly. He didn't know why, but when she said that, he believed it. Minutes later, they were at Tree Hill Memorial, where Lucas and Brooke were led to a room by Child Protective Service officers.

"What is that?" Lucas asked, seeing a machine just as the doctor came in.

"That's the machine we use to confirm sexual assault and rape," he replied.

"So if I'm figuring this correctly, you'd have to put that up---" Seeing Lucas' expression of fright, Brooke's voice trailed off.

"I promise, it's not as scary as it seems," the physician assured. "Lucas, I'm Dr. Maxwell. I'm going to have to take pictures of your injuries for evidence as well as using that machine to see if---" he continued.

"He did," Lucas softly confirmed. Brooke's jaw dropped. Lucas had been raped as well? _That sick freak!_ she thought. The doctor was surprised that the admission came so freely, but didn't press it. Brooke watched as Lucas took off his shirt and then stood passively as the doctors documented the evidence. At one point, she had to discreetly look away as to not embarrass her friend. _Oh, Luke,_ she thought miserably. How could someone do this to a kid? Afterwards, the physician nervously looked to Brooke and then to Lucas.

"What?" he asked, putting his shirt back on.

"We need to do a physical, but I'm not sure I'm the person to do so because you were assaulted by a man," Dr. Maxwell stated.

"It's fine. You can go ahead. But Brooke stays," Lucas told him, giving her a pleading glance. The girl walked up to him and gave his hand a squeeze.

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised. The CPS officials looked at the two. _Looks like this kid's got himself a support system_, a woman thought. That was good. It'd make things a little easier on him. Then, Brooke looked away as Lucas changed into a hospital gown and got in the chair beneath the machine. The girl bit her lip as the examination commenced. When it was done, Lucas changed back into his clothes, and the physician and officers went outside to talk.

"Hey. How you holding up?" Brooke queried.

"I---I can't stop shaking. I can't believe I'm doing this," Lucas admitted.

"Lucas, I know you feel some type of loyalty to them---"

"That's the thing. I thought this would be the worst thing ever. But now, all I can think is: 'Am I finally free'?" Brooke inhaled and exhaled shakily as she stared at the boy. Then, suddenly, he threw himself into her arms and began to sob. She stroked his hair gently and made shushing noises.


	10. Hospital Discoveries

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

LizzielOve: Thanks. Glad you like. Here you go.

Sweetcrimefighter: Thanks, yeah it worked out very nicely I think. Hope this is soon enough.

AmandaTron: Thanks, wow. I'm glad I was so effective. Yeah, they are. I'm glad you think so. Thanks, yeah. Here's more.

Sunshine: Wow, thanks. Glad you think so. Read on and see. Hope this is soon enough.

Dianehermans: Thanks, okey-dokey. Just keep reading. Hope this is soon enough.

Sara: Thanks. I've seen you review some other stories and the fact that you chose to review mine means a lot to me. That sounds like it would be a whole different story. Hope this is soon enough.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

Long Live BRUCAS: Figured it was about time. Yeah, it was surprising, but hopefully realistic. Well, she's one of the first people to show him some kindness (not including Nathan and the others), so that had something to do with it.

DISCLAIMER

Inspired by the Jason Michael Carroll song "Alyssa Lies". Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Switches POVs throughout the chapter, so I apologize in advance for any confusion.

Julian let the Credence Clearwater Rival song blare as he drove down the road. He couldn't get Lucas' voice out of his head. He had sounded so broken, like he was giving up. _Oh, Luke. Kiddo. What did they do to you?_ he wondered. He ran his fingers through his hair and his eyes clouded. He revved the engine and the car sped up. Back in Tree Hill Memorial, Lucas had stopped crying.

"Hey. That feel better?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Uh---sorry," he apologized, wiping his eyes.

"Don't apologize for crying. You have every right," she told him.

"But I shouldn't have dumped this on you. I'm sure you have enough---"

"I'm right where I want to be." Lucas looked at her questioningly, and she nodded. He smiled tentatively. _I---I can't believe she's here with me_, he thought to himself. She had just found out how dirty he really was, and she hadn't run away. Brooke looked at him, wondering what he thinking. He obviously wasn't okay. He had just gone through torture. The silence was broken by a ringing. Brooke reached into her jeans and pulled out her cell phone.

"Hello?" she questioned. Then, "Oh, Mouth, right? I'm **so** sorry! Something came up." She listened for a few minutes, "No, no, no, no, no! I am totally **not** blowing you off! I promise! There was an emergency at a neighbor's and I had to help out," she assured him.

"Look, if you need to go---" Lucas began.

"No, I am **not** leaving you," Brooke interrupted. "Listen, do you think we could reschedule?" she requested. She made some attentive noises. Then, "Yeah, that sounds great. And again, I'm **really** sorry." She hung up.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm the one keeping you from your studies," he responded.

"Now, just stop it. I don't want to hear that from you," she scolded. "I couldn't just stand there and listen to what was happening in that house without doing something. He could've killed you."

"Maybe I would've been better off. I'm just a waste of space." Brooke's jaw dropped. What was going on with him?

"What's that nonsense?" she questioned.

"Sorry. Ignore me," he said. "Brooke…what am I going go do? Where am I gonna go now?" he wondered.

"I---I don't know. But I'm sure it'll be okay," she answered.

"How can you be sure? I don't have a home. I don't know what to do. I'm lost," he admitted. She sighed, unsure of how to proceed. Lucas really **did** look lost. He looked at the girl, wondering what she was thinking. _Did I really do the right thing? I never should've let her call the police. I'm not going to have anywhere to go now_, he thought to himself. He let out a troubled breath and his eyes clouded. Back at the Tree Hill jail, Jack and Brenda had just been processed and placed in different cells.

"So, when do we get to leave?" Jack demanded.

"Man, you were arrested for child abuse. You're not going anywhere any time soon," the officer responded.

"You don't understand, Officer. Our son has a mouth. And there are times when we have to discipline him," Brenda stated.

"'Discipline him'?" the officer repeated. "Lady, he was covered in bruises. In this state, that's abuse," he continued.

"He's clumsy. He falls down a lot," Jack retorted.

"Oh, like I've never heard **that** one before," the officer muttered. Jack huffed and sat back in his cell. What was this officer's problem? Didn't he realize how hard it was to raise an ungrateful brat like Lucas? The kid was nothing but trouble. He wasn't even sure why he and Brenda had taken him in. While this was going on, Julian had finally reached Tree Hill and was checking into a hotel.

"And how long will you be staying, sir?" the receptionist questioned.

"I don't know," Julian replied. "I'm here for a friend. It depends on how long he needs me," he continued. Back at the hospital, Lucas and Brooke were still staring at each other when they heard footsteps. They turned to see a nurse.

"Mr. Mallone, we've talked to the Child Protective Service Officers and they have agreed to place you in a group home temporarily," the woman said.

"Okay," he agreed softly. He didn't want to go, but he wasn't going to argue. It wouldn't do any good.

"Lucas, this will be good. You'll see. And we'll do all we can to find you a loving family," the nurse promised. He scoffed.

"That's not gonna happen. No wants a screw up," he said.

"Hey, don't talk about yourself like that," Brooke scolded. You are **not** a screw up," she continued.

"I just---I don't know," he sighed. While this was going on, Julian was asking various Tree Hill residents about Lucas. He had no luck until he came a cross a girl with curly blonde hair.

"Oh, yeah. That's Luke. Cute, but kinda weird," she commented.

"Do you know where he is?" Julian asked.

"No. Sorry." He thanked her and went on his way.

"Excuse me?" Julian turned around to see a man with blonde hair and dark eyes.

"You're lookin' for the kid?"

"Yeah, you know where he is?"

"All I know is that there was some trouble at his house, the police came and took his parents away."

"What? Where is he?"

"I'm assuming they took him to Tree Hill Memorial." Then, the man gave him directions.

"Thanks!" Julian ran back to his car, started the engine, and took off. When he got there, he rushed in, calling the boy's name.

"All right Lucas, I think it's time---" the CPS officer's sentence trailed off as they heard someone calling his name.

"Julian?" Lucas asked in confusion as he turned around.

"Lucas!" Julian shouted, running up to him.

"What are you---" Lucas' question trailed off as the older boy gently touched the bruise.

"Oh, Kiddo, what'd they do to you?" he wondered.

"I'm okay. I'm okay," he assured.

"I never should've let 'em take you," he stated.

"You didn't know. You didn't know." The CPS officer watched the two interacting with interest. They obviously knew each other and the boy seemed to be comfortable with him.

"Lucas, who is this?" Brooke questioned.

"This is Julian Norris. He's a---a friend from my old neighborhood. He'd let me crash when things got to be too much," Lucas answered. "Where are you stayin', man?" he wondered.

"Local motel," Julian replied. Then, "Look, you're CPS, right?" The woman nodded.

"Yes. I'm Diana Marks and this is my partner Robert Porter," she responded.

"Where are you going to be placing him?" he wondered.

"A group home. It's standard procedure," Mr. Porter replied.

"I know it's irregular, but can't he stay with me?" Julian requested. Lucas looked at the adults eagerly. He wanted to voice his own desire of staying with Julian, knew better to do so. The officials looked at each other. As the man said, it was irregular, but Lucas seemed to get along with him. Being with a friendly face would probably being less nerve-wracking than going into a strange place. Making a decision, they nodded.

"We'll allow it. We'll tell our supervisor," the CPS officer stated. A nurse pulled Julian aside.

"You should be aware that Lucas was---" she began to say.

"I'm well aware of what they were doing to him. I reported them, but since Lucas refused to press charges, the cops said their hands were tied. I was in the process of trying to get him to change his mind when they moved," Julian stated.

"Okay, then," the nurse said.

"Do you have forms that I need to sign?"

"Yes, right this way." She led him to the desk as in another part of the hospital a nurse was showing the doctor the DNA results.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes, I doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled checked. It was a direct match to the DNA sample of his son that we took last summer when he got that horrible flue," she replied.

"You realize what this means right?" he pressed.

"Yes. I know **exactly** what this means: Lucas Mallone is Dan Scott's son."


	11. Discoveries And Talks

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: Maybe, maybe not. Thanks, well, she wasn't **intentionally** blowing Mouth off, Luke just needed her more. Well, he needed to hear it. Thanks, glad you think so. Here's more.

Peyt4Luke4eva: Thanks. Glad you like. Yep. Here you go. Yeah, he needs some people on his side. Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

Diane: Well, since you asked so nicely…here's more.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

Sweetcrimefighter: Sorry. Sorry. Thanks, we'll see. Hope this is soon enough.

Simone1: Yeah. Read on and see.

LizzielOve: Thanks. Yep. Well, wait no more. Hope this is soon enough.

Long Live BRUCAS: Yes, slowly but surely. You'll see how he does. Don't know. Haven't planned that far out yet. Yep, they know. Wait and see what happens. They probably won't since I've made the characters basically themselves. Okay, that made sense in my head. Read on and see.

Lmary965: Thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Inspired by the Jason Michael Carroll song Alyssa Lies. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. I figured physicals and rape kits probably took quite a while, so this is supposed to be several hours later from the last chap.

Keith, Dan, Deb, and Nathan had just sat down to dinner when the phone rang.

"Geez, don't the telemarketers ever learn?" Nathan complained.

"I'll get it," Keith responded, and then walked out to the kitchen.

"It looks good, Mom," Nathan stated.

"Thanks, honey," Deb beamed.

"So Nathan, how's school going?" Dan wondered as they all began to eat.

"School's going good, as you know, my grades have been goin' up ever since I got that tutor, and the Ravens are still the champs," Nathan told them, the last part braggingly. His parents laughed. Keith poked his head out.

"Danny, it's for you," he stated.

"Tell them it's dinner time, and I'll call them back," came the answer.

"Danny, I think you should take this," his brother stated.

"Okay," the man said with some confusion. Why was Keith being so adamant about this? He knew he didn't like taking calls during dinner. This was the time he had to catch up with his family. Keith was the same way. _Well, then, it must be important_, Dan realized as he got up and headed for the kitchen.

"What's going on, Mom?" Nathan wondered.

"I'm not sure, honey," Deb responded. "Stay here," she added, as she stood up and went into the kitchen. Nathan sat there for a few minutes, listening to his father talking indistinctly. Then, "Screw this." He stood up and went into the kitchen just as his father hung up.

"What's going on?" he questioned. His mother held up a finger in the class 'Wait a minute' sign.

"Danny, what'd they say?" Keith wondered.

"I---I don't believe it. It's---it's unreal," Dan responded.

"Dan, what?" Deb queried.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Nathan added, stepping forward.

"Oh, I'm better than okay, son. It's just---" Dan trailed off, not knowing how to explain to his son. How could he try to justify his indiscretion? And what about Deb? What would **she** be feeling? As if reading her husband's thoughts, the woman looked at him and gave a soft smile. He nodded and then turned to his son.

"Nathan, we need to talk," he announced.

"What's going on?" Nathan questioned.

"Nathan, honey, what we have to tell you, it's hard and you may not like it, but you're old enough to know the truth---about everything," Deb stated.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Nathan wondered.

"It's about your friend, Lucas," Dan said nervously.

"What about him?" Nathan asked. "Is he okay?" _Why are they acting so weird?_ he wondered.

"Nathan, son...Lucas is your brother," Dan told him.

"My---**what**?" Nathan questioned. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You cheated on Mom? How could you, Dad?" he asked furiously.

"Nathan, it's not what you think," his mother told him.

"How can you defend him?" the boy asked. _Why is she being so calm? Why isn't she upset?_ he wondered.

"Because I'm not the one who was cheated on," she answered. Nathan stared at his parents in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lucas was his brother? And his parents had hid this from him?

"What do you mean you weren't the one he cheated on?" he asked out loud.

"Your father had a girlfriend in high school---Karen Roe," his mother began.

"Oh, man, she was beautiful," Keith recalled. "And they were so in love---everyone thought that they would get married," he added.

"And then Dad decided to be a jerk and cheat on her? Yeah, that's real nice," the boy said sarcastically.

"I'm not proud of my poor judgment, Nathan. And it gets worse," he stated.

"How could it possibly get worse?"

"Danny didn't know it then, but by the time he met your mother, Karen was already pregnant." Nathan turned to Keith in shock.

"And he just left her?" he asked. "You didn't want to claim your own son?" he demanded.

"Not at first---no," he admitted. "I'm not proud of how selfish I was. But by the time your mother had talked me back into my senses, Karen had already given Lucas up for adoption and had left Tree Hill."

"Did you ever look for him?"

"All the time. But nothing ever panned out."

"And now you've just magically found him?"

"He was taken to the hospital by one of his neighbors---" Dan began to say.

"The hospital?" Nathan interrupted. "What happened? Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure why he was taken to the hospital, the doctor didn't say, but apparently they had to take his DNA for some reason, and they matched it to the DNA they took from you when you got sick last summer," Dan said.

"How far apart are we?" Nathan wondered.

"Three months. He's three months older," Dan responded.

"Does Lucas know?" Nathan asked.

"No. Apparently, by the time the doctors had found out, he had already left the hospital," Dan answered.

"So, what do we do?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know," Dan sighed. Meanwhile, at the hotel room, Julian and Lucas were eating a pizza.

"Julian…thanks…for everything. You didn't have to---" Julian put a hand stopping Lucas' words.

"Luke, you shouldn't be thanking me for something I should've done a long time ago. I never should've let you stay in that house," he stated.

"Julian, thanks for putting me up for tonight, but where am I gonna go? To a group home? Some other place?"

"Luke, you're staying with me, and I'm not leaving until I know for sure you're safe." Lucas nodded and then sighed.

"Tired?"

"Yeah."

"Then sleep. I'll stay up."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Lucas stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes. Julian leaned over and smoothed back his hair.

"Sleep well, Kiddo." Then, he took the pizza box off the bed, put it on the table, and sat in a chair, watching guard as Lucas slept.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I know originally, Lucas was supposed to be like six or seven months older than Nathan but then they switched it to three months. I liked the three months thing, so that stayed.


	12. Break Down Here

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: Ah, okay. Gotcha. Yeah, well, as you can see, things are a little different in this story. Cool.

Peyt4Luke4eva: Thanks. Yep. Keep reading. Here you go.

AlexCurtis: Thanks.

Lmary96: Cool. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

Simone1: Really? Here you go.

Long Live BRUCAS: Well, I **think** that's right. Me too. Yep. Keep reading. Keep reading. Yep. Yep. Thanks for the reminder. I address it in this chap. Keep reading.

Sweetcrimefighter: Because I can. Yes, I do. Keep reading. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Inspired by the Jason Michael Carroll song Alyssa Lies. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

It was early the next morning when Julian heard the moans. With a small yawn, he rubbed his face with his hands. _Huh. Musta dozed off_, he thought to himself. The moans came again.

"Luke?" he asked. On the bed, Lucas tossed and turned as the moans turned into cries. Julian sprang up from the chair and quickly strode to the bed. In his sleep, Lucas lashed out, barely giving the older boy a chance to grab his wrists.

"Luke, Luke, hey. Wake up, Kiddo," Julian said.

"No. Don't wanna---no!" Lucas' eyes flew open and he panted shakily.

"Julian?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's me, Kiddo," came the answer as the other boy was released.

"Sorry."

"Don't---don't do that. You don't have anything to apologize for." Lucas nodded in compliance.

"So, you hungry?" Julian asked.

"Yeah," Lucas replied.

"So, why don't I go get us some food and you can change? And then later, we'll make a quick stop at the house so that we can get your stuff…unless that is, you don't want to?" Julian proposed. He had been surprised that the police and hospital staff had let him take Lucas in when they knew that he was merely staying at a hotel, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"No. I---I want my stuff. I mean, I didn't have a chance to grab it the other day," Lucas responded.

"So it's a plan then," Julian stated.

"Yeah…I guess it is," Lucas agreed.

"Well, I'll let you get dressed. You can borrow one of my shirts," Julian stated, gesturing to a shirt that Lucas hadn't noticed the night before.

"What, you took time to pack?" Lucas asked.

"Uh, no. I actually found them in the backseat," Julian answered.

"Dude, you're weird," Lucas chuckled. The older man left and Lucas got out of bed and carefully got dressed. _Man, I can't believe this is really happening. Did they __**really**__ get arrested for what happened?_ he thought to himself. His head was spinning. Everything was happening so fast. With a sigh, he sat on the bed and turned on the t.v. Then, he began flipping through the channels. He didn't know what to do. Presently, the door opened to reveal Julian.

"Got the pizza," he announced.

"Awesome," the boy grinned. They sat on the bed. Then, "Hey Julian, what do I do about school?"

"Do you feel up to facing everybody?"

"I---I don't know. I mean, Brooke will be there and---" the boy's voice trailed off.

"Brooke. That was the girl with you, right?" Julian checked.

"Yeah," Lucas nodded.

"She seemed pretty cool," Julian noted.

"Yeah. She is," Lucas confirmed with a soft grin. "But Julian, do I really deserve an amazing girl like her? I'm damaged and dirty, and she knows it. Who would want---I'm not the kind of guy girls would go for," he continued.

"Lucas, I don't wanna hear that from you," Julian scolded.

"I never stopped them---stopped **him**! I could've done something! I should've---"

"Luke, you've been with them since you were ten years old. They've got your mind so warped, you don't know which way is up," Julian interrupted.

"I know, but---I don't want to go back into the system, Julian. I can't do it again," Lucas said.

"Hey, I know it can be rough. I lived through it too, remember?" Julian reminded.

"I'm gonna be sent away, aren't I?" Lucas asked.

"Luke---" Julian began.

"No. Let's be realistic Julian. We both know how hard it is to get placed especially when you're older and if the Mallones are the best that I can get, what does that say about me?" Lucas interrupted.

"It says you got a raw deal," Julian said. "Look, I'll take you to school, you can give me directions to your place and I'll grab your stuff, okay?" he continued.

"Yeah, sure," Lucas agreed softly. He walked to Julian's car with the older man close behind him. Lucas gave the directions to Tree Hill High as he scribbled something on a piece of paper and they were soon there.

"I'll see you later, all right, bud?"

"Okay." Lucas got out of the car, and then turned around. "Oh, before I forget." He dropped the piece of paper onto the seat along with a key. Julian gave a curt nod and then leaned over to clasp Lucas' hand.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Kiddo." With that, the two hugged briefly, and then Julian took off. With a sigh, Lucas headed for the steps. Almost immediately, he was met by Brooke.

"Hey, how you holdin' up?" she questioned.

"Not too well. I---I can't---everyone's gonna know."

"I wish there was something I could do to help."

"You're not running away. That's enough." Lucas took her hand in his and smiled at her. He still didn't think he deserved her attention, but he wasn't going to say that out loud. In silence, they walked to their first class. As he sat down, Lucas couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was staring at him. Self-consciously, he placed his backpack by his feet and stared at the desk. Brooke squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Hey, it'll be all right," she told him.

"I feel like everyone's staring. Like they all know how dirty I am," he confessed hoarsely.

"You're not dirty, Luke," she said.

"Brooke, my father and I have been having sex together since I was ten years old. How does that **not** make me dirty?" he hissed.

"Key words Luke: 'ten years old'. He had no right to hurt you," she responded, her voice cracking. _Ten years old? Oh, my---how could he survive that?_ she thought tearfully. Lucas sighed and looked away as Brooke put a hand over her mouth and tried to stifle her sobs. Ten years old? Lucas had been ten when it all started?

"Brooke? Brooke, what's wrong?" The girl turned to see her best friend. "Brooke, what is it? What's the matter?" Peyton questioned, coming up to kneel beside her. Lucas froze. Was she gonna tell? He looked at her anxiously.

"Nothing really. My parents have just been fighting and---" Brooke sobbed and Peyton wrapped her in a hug. Lucas just stared at his desk. The teacher came in.

"Miss Davis, are you all right?" he asked in concern.

"I'm okay. I'm fine," Brooke answered, wiping away her tears. "Sorry," she apologized.

"You don't have to apologize. Just as long as you're all right," he responded as Peyton took a seat next to her friend. The teacher started his lecture, but Lucas hardly heard a word. He couldn't forget the look on his father's face when he had been arrested. He had been so angry. He had only seen that amount of anger once before. He **still** remembered the consequences. He grunted softly as the memories came back unbidden. _ Jack Mallone pinned thirteen-year old Lucas to the ground with a knee._

"_No. No, please," he begged._

"_Shut up, you little brat," the man snarled. Lucas trembled at the intense anger in his father's_ _eyes. _ _Before Lucas could stop him, the man had ripped his shirt off._

"_Guess I'm gonna have to teach you to be good," he snarled. Then, he reached for his son's jeans._

"No! Please!" Lucas shouted, causing the class to jump in surprise.

"Luke?" Brooke questioned.

"I---I---" The boy jumped out of his seat and ran out the door.

"Luke!" Ignoring her classmates' stares and the teacher's demand that she stay put, Brooke got up from her seat and followed the boy.

"Lucas!" Brooke called.

"Go back to class, Brooke," Lucas instructed.

"I'm not leaving you like this," Brooke objected. "What happened back there, huh? Where did you go?" she questioned.

"He---he was angry. It---it was worse than it had ever been---I---I---I begged him to stop," he said. "I started fighting---he---he put his hands---on my throat---and---I---I couldn't breathe---"

"Oh, Lucas." Tears streamed down Brooke's face. How could anyone hurt him like that?

"I---I don't know what to do, Brooke. You saw him when he and Mom were arrested---how angry he was. If---if he gets out---or I get sent away…I can't do this, Brooke. I---I can't---I can't do this. I don't want to be afraid anymore. I just want to be loved. Don't I deserve to be loved?" At this, the boy's eyes began to water.

"Yes! Yes! Oh, dang it, Lucas! You **do**! You **do** deserve to be loved! You deserve to have every good thing life can throw at you. And---I'll do everything I possibly can to make sure you get those good things. I promise." She drew him into a hug and together, they cried.


	13. Mixture Of Emotions

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: Thanks. Oooh, sorry. I was trying **not** to be too graphic. Guess I didn't succeed. Should I go back and tone it down? Thanks. It's been kinda fun to go back to season one Brooke and explore all of her layers in an alternate universe. Here's more.

Sweetcrimefighter: Thanks, sorry this isn't soon enough.

Long Live BRUCAS: Yeah, I'm trying to stay true to her character as possible. Hopefully, I've succeeded. We'll see.

LizzielOve: Yeah, it took a lot out of me and I was the writer! Thanks. I'm attempting to stay true to the character that we all know and love even though it's AU. Well, I know what I want to do with that, just not how to get to it. Thanks. Here you go. Sorry it's not soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Title and story inspired by the song Alyssa Lies by Jason Michael Carroll. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Switches POVs again, so I apologize in advance for any confusion. Well, I think this is gonna be longer than I intended. It's gonna be a two-parter, and I know how I want to end the first part, but I'm not sure how to get there, so updates may be even slower than usual. However, I am **not** abandoning the fic.

After standing in the hallway and crying together for several minutes, Lucas pulled away and wiped his eyes.

"We should---probably get back to class. We don't want to get into trouble," he stated.

"Screw class. It's not important. **This** is. I think we should talk about this, you know?" the girl suggested.

"I don't wanna bug you," he objected.

"Hey Sad Boy, look at me. Do I look bugged?" she questioned. He shook his head. "Then, come on. Let's talk about this." With a sigh, he let her pull him to a secluded corner in the hallway. "Now…what are you thinking about other than all the things you already told me?" she questioned, still holding his hand.

"I just---if they don't believe me and let them out---I'm gonna get it so bad. And if they **do** believe me, and it goes to trial, I'll go back into the system," he said. "I---I don't wanna go back, Brooke. I like Tree Hill...I like **you**." Brooke's heart soared. He liked her! He actually liked her!

"I like you too," she told him, taking his other hand. "And we'll just take it one step at a time. I'm sure there's someone here who would be happy to take you in," she continued.

"I don't know, Brooke. I mean---I'm---I'm just---"

"Late for class?" a voice interrupted. Lucas tensed and turned around to see one of the teachers.

"Sorry. We'll go," he said softly.

"He was upset and he needed someone to talk to. He's not ditching," the girl assured, dropping one of her hands from his, but still holding the other.

"Be that as it may, we still have rules here," the teacher commented.

"Yeah. We'll be going now," Brooke assured. Then, still holding his hands, they walked back to class. Meanwhile, Julian was in Lucas' old home, gathering up his belongings. When he was done, he took them out to the car, and then drove back to his hotel. _You're never goin' back there_,_ Luke_, he thought to himself. Julian found his mind wandering to his young friend. _I wonder how he's holdin' up. He didn't look so hot this morning_, he thought to himself. But he knew he couldn't press Luke. It'd just make him clam up. At Deb's Den, Deb was wiping down the counter when her mind drifted to what she, Dan, and Keith had told Nathan. _ I wonder how he's doing, the poor kid. It's gotta be hard on him learning that he has an older brother and that we lied to him_, she thought to herself. With a sigh, she continued cleaning the counter. Back at Tree Hill High, Peyton had noticed her ex-boyfriend looking spacey.

"Hey Dude, what's up?" she questioned after a class.

"My parents totally dropped a bomb on me last night," he told her.

"What are you talking about?" she wondered.

"Well, my dad got a call during dinner, and it turned out to be the hospital---" Nathan began.

"The hospital? Is he sick?" Peyton interrupted.

"No, he's all right," Nathan quickly assured. "Well, apparently, Lucas had been taken there---I don't know why, and somehow---I'm not sure how---they found out that he was---" Nathan's voice trailed off.

"He was what?" Peyton prompted. The boy didn't answer. "Nathan, what is it?" she queried.

"Peyton…Lucas is my brother," Nathan stated. The girl stared.

"What?" she asked.

"Yeah, I know, right?" he queried.

"So, what are you going to do?" she asked. He sighed and shook his head.

"I've got no clue. I mean, a brother? It's unreal."

"So, uh---and don't get mad at me---but, who cheated on who?"

"Well, according to Mom and Dad, Mom was the one Dad cheated **with**. Apparently, he had a girlfriend in high school who didn't tell him she was pregnant before he went to college."

"Oh, wow. But that would mean---"

"Yeah, by three months."

"And your father never knew?"

"No. According to them, she gave him up for adoption without saying a word."

"Oh, boy." Peyton ran her fingers through her hair. She wasn't sure what to do with this revelation. Heck, what was **Nathan** supposed to do?

"I just---I don't get it, Peyton. How could someone just give up their own kid?"

"You got me. If someone doesn't think they're gonna make a good parent, they should have the decency to figure it out **before** the kid arrives." Then, they headed for their next class, which incidentally, was also Lucas, Haley, Brooke's next class.

"Hey, guys," Haley greeted.

"Hey," Peyton and Nathan chorused.

"Hey, friends, boys, girls. Any new scandals?" Brooke questioned, slinging an arm around Haley and Nathan. Lucas let out a small under-the-breath laugh. She was so crazy!

"Uh, no. No new scandals," Peyton responded. Nathan couldn't help but stare at Lucas. How could he have not noticed the resemblance the boy had to their father before? Yes, the other boy had blonde hair and blue eyes, but despite this, he amazingly looked a lot like Dan, except for his eyes. Nathan couldn't place those.

"What? Do I have something on my face or something?" Lucas asked self-consciously.

"No. Uh---sorry," Nathan apologized. Before he could say anymore, the teacher came in and began the class. _Why was he staring at me like that?_ Lucas wondered. He hadn't done something to tick him off, had he? His brow furrowed as he tried to think of what he could've done. Brooke had been hanging out with him a lot, but other than that, he couldn't think of something. Then his eyes widened. Brooke! Maybe she and Nathan---_Oh, geez. I just totally made a move on her!_ he thought. Why hadn't she told him that she was with Nathan? _I am __**so**__ dead_, he thought to himself. Brooke glanced over at Lucas and was surprised to see him glare at her. _What? What'd I do?_ she wondered. Why had he suddenly become so angry? Had she done something wrong? However, he soon turned his attention back to the teacher. After school, Lucas hurried out of the classroom.

"What's up with **that**?" Haley wondered.

"I don't know. Everything was fine before we went to class and then he just started acting totally weird," Brooke replied with a slight quiver in her voice. "I don't know what I did wrong," she added.

"Let me try to talk to him," Peyton offered.

"Would you?" Brooke requested, her face lighting up.

"Yeah, no prob," Peyton responded, and then headed out in the direction they had seen Lucas go. "Lucas! Hey, Lucas!" she called. Hearing the girl's voice, he slowed and turned around.

"What can I do for you?" he questioned.

"Is everything okay? You were acting kinda strange all of a sudden," she stated.

"Well, Nathan was lookin' at me funny, and I didn't want to get into a fight."

"Why would you guys get into a fight?"

"Because I made a move on his girl."

"His girl? Who are---" Peyton cut herself off as she realized who Lucas was talking about. "Brooke?! No! She and Nathan aren't together! They're just friends."

"Really? I---I didn't horn in on anything?" Peyton shook her head.

"Luke, talk to her. Tell her what's going through that head of yours." He nodded.

"Yeah. All right." With a sigh, he headed back into the school.

"Hey, looks who's back," Nathan stated.

"Luke!" Brooke exclaimed. "What happened? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it was my fault. I caught Nathan lookin' at me funny, and I thought you and he were---" Brooke and Nathan burst out laughing.

"What? Me and him? No, no, no, no, no!" Brooke stated.

"No! **Definitely** not!" Nathan emphasized at the same time.

"Well, I didn't know. And I thought he was mad for makin' a move on his girl," Lucas said.

"You're so crazy," Brooke stated with a laugh. They all headed for their cars when Nathan's brow furrowed.

"What?" Peyton asked.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Nathan questioned in surprise.

"Uh, hello, Sir," Lucas said at the same time.

"Hello, I'm Nathan's father---Dan Scott," Dan stated. _Wow. He sure does have Karen's eyes_, he thought to himself. Of course, they were blue instead of brown, but they were hers all right. At the gaze, Lucas shifted nervously. While it wasn't one of his father's hate or lust glares, it still made him nervous. As if sensing the boy's unease, the man turned to look elsewhere.

"So Dad, you're here why?" Nathan prodded.

"Oh, yes! Um, I thought maybe you'd like to stop for some ice cream. We haven't had one of father/son days in a while," Dan responded.

"Yeah, that sounds cool," Nathan grinned. Lucas couldn't help the look of longing in his eyes. How he wished he had a father to do that with him. A whistle brought him out of the reverie.

"Nice ride," Peyton approved, ogling the sleek Oldsmobile. Lucas turned around and chuckled when he saw the car that the girl was staring at.

"Hey, Julian," he greeted.

"Hey, Kiddo. Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Everyone watched in some surprise at the casual way the two interacted. Lucas got into the car and Julian drove off. As if this was a signal for them, everybody else left. Lucas was silent as Julian drove back to the hotel.

"You okay, Kiddo?" he questioned. The boy nodded, but didn't say anything. The boy noticed what seemed to be a basketball court and his eyes lit up, but he didn't say anything.

"Maybe we can stop by this place sometime, huh?" Julian offered, noting the look.

"Yeah, that'd be cool," Lucas responded. Several minutes later, they were back at the hotel. "So, were you able to find my stuff?" he wondered.

"Yeah. I got everything. There's nothing of yours left in that house," his friend assured.

"Good," he said. Then, he settled back in the seat and watched as the scenery whizzed by. When they got back to the hotel, Lucas helped Julian carry his stuff in. When they were done, Lucas sat on the bed.

"What's wrong, Kiddo?"

"Long day. It just---it just felt like everyone was staring at me."

"Want me to grab us some early dinner?"

"Sure. I'll get started on my homework." Both boys went to do their respective tasks. As he started in on his homework, Lucas found his mind wandering. What if the police couldn't hold his parents? What if they got out? What if his dad came after him? The boy shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and refocused his attention on his work. A few minutes later, the door opened up again and Lucas turned to see Julian.

"Hey, you got pizza," Lucas grinned.

"Yep. I know how much you like your pepperoni/cheese fix," Julian grinned. Then, "So, how's the studying going?"

"Ugh. Can't concentrate. My head's a mess," Lucas complained.

"Well, let me take a look at it, and I'll see if I can't help you get through this," Julian offered.

"That'd be great," Lucas grinned. Then, the two immersed themselves in pouring over the books.


	14. Revelations

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: Oh, all right. No, there was no confusion. Thanks. Thanks.

Lizz1Ove: Thanks. Glad you thought so. Thank you. Glad you liked it. Thanks. Here you go.

Sweetcrimefighter: Thanks. Wait and see. Yes, you do. Thanks, here you go. Thanks.

Long Live BRUCAS: Thanks. Well, she makes him feel safe. Yep. That's right. We'll see. We'll see. Maybe. Yes, he did. We'll see.

DISCLAIMER

Title is inspired by the song Alyssa Lies. One Tree Hill Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Once again, changes in POVs. And as for the project that Lucas was partnered up with Nathan for, it was assigned on a Monday. A couple of days have passed so now it's about Wednesday. Sorry I didn't clarify that earlier.

It was late by the time Julian and Lucas finished with all of the boy's assignments. Lucas yawned and stretched out.

"It's late. Why don't you go to bed?" Julian suggested.

"Okay," Lucas agreed. The older man turned to set the alarm on his watch as the boy quickly changed into a shirt and sweats. Then, he made himself comfortable under the covers and closed his eyes. Julian sat in a chair intending to watch guard, but soon fell asleep. Back at the Scott house, Dan paced around the kitchen. What was he going to do? He knew he had to tell Nathan's friend the truth. His eyes clouded. What if Lucas didn't want to have anything to do with him? What if he had grown up all this time believing his biological parents didn't want anything to do with him? With a weary sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair. Hearing footsteps, he quickly turned around.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" his wife asked sympathetically. He shook his head.

"I don't know what to do, Deb. I mean, Lucas deserves to know the truth, and I'd like to be a part of his life, but what if he's happy where he is? Maybe he doesn't need or want such confusion in his life," he commented.

"I don't know what to tell you, Dan. Only Lucas can answer those questions."

"Yeah, but---"

"You won't know until you make an effort. Maybe he'll be happy for the chance to know you," she reminded him. He sighed.

"You're right…of course." She laughed.

"Of course. Now, come on. Let's get back to bed." The two walked back upstairs to their room. At her own home, Brooke tossed and turned in her bed. _Figures. The one night my parents aren't arguing and my brain can't turn off, she thought to herself. _If that wasn't a good example of irony, she didn't know what was. She wondered how Lucas was doing. She wondered if he was getting any sleep, or if he was being plagued by nightmares. The girl sincerely hoped that he was having a peaceful night. She didn't know of anyone who deserved it more. However, what she didn't know was that her wish was going unanswered. Lucas moaned softly as he shifted in the bed. He burrowed into the covers as if trying to escape something or someone. Then, he emitted another loan moan. _** Lucas looked around and felt his body tense. He was in his old house. How had he gotten here? Hearing footsteps, he turned around.**_

_**"You lying little brat," his father**_ _**sneered.**_

_**"Dad. Dad, please," Lucas implored, backing up. This action continued until he felt himself hit a**_ _**wall.**_

_**"You think you could get away with it?" the man demand**_ed. _**He lunged forward and Lucas jumped to side. The man turned to him and---Lucas jerk**_ed _**awake.**_

_**"Oh, man. Just a dream," he sighed in relief. It had just been a dream. He was safe. He got out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. Without warning, the front door burst open! Lucas barely had a chance to**_ _**move as his father grabbed and pinned him to the ground.**_

_**"How did you---" the question was cut off as the man put a hand around the boy's throat.**_

_**"Did you **__**really**__** think the police would believe those lies about your mother and me?" he demanded.**_

_**"Julian," Lucas rasped. There was no answer. **_ _**"Julian," he tried to say again. The only response was his father increasing the pressure around his**_ _**throat.**_

_**"Please. Please," he begged.**_

_**"You broke the rules, Lucas. You're going to have to be punished," the man stated. He used his other hand to tug at the boy's pants.**_

_**"No," he said. He began to fight. "No! No! No!"**_

"Lucas! Lucas, hey!" Julian tried to calm Lucas' wild thrashing. Finally, the boy awoke with a start. "Hey. Hey, it's all right, kiddo. Everything's okay," he comforted.

"They---they let him out and---and he just busted right in," the boy said shakily. Julian wrapped the boy into a hug.

"I would **never** let him get anywhere near you," he promised.

"Yeah. I---I know. It's just---I'm so afraid," Lucas admitted. "I---I mean---what if---what if Mom and Dad manage to convince them I was lying? If they got out, I would get it **so** bad."

"If I have to, I'll take you and we'll run away." Lucas nodded. He knew Julian was serious. He could tell by the look on his friend's face. Then, he hunkered back down in the covers.

"Take two," he joked and the older boy chuckled. He watched as the other boy closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. Then, he rubbed his face with a hand. _Why can't this kid catch a break?_ he wondered. It wasn't fair. Then, he settled back in his seat. The next thing either boy knew, Julian's watch was beeping. Lucas moaned.

"No. Don't wanna get up," he complained.

"Sorry, Kiddo. You gotta go to school," came the response. He let out another groan.

"Oh, I hate you," he complained. His friend laughed and then turned around as he got up and quickly got dressed. After a quick breakfast, Julian drove Lucas to school, where the boy headed for the entrance. What he didn't know, was that in the coach's office, Principal Turner and Whitey were having a discussion about his lack of a decision.

"Look, Whitey, I know you're holding out for this kid, but if he doesn't want to play, it's not fair to the other kids that tried out," the principal reminded him.

"Derek, I understand what you're saying, but my gut's telling me that this is what's best for the team," Whitey responded. Principal Turner sighed. He didn't know what to say to that. Whitey didn't get his gut feelings very often, but when he **did**…well, let's just say the man had learned to trust the coach's gut.

"Okay. I'll give you a couple of more weeks. But if doesn't work out---" the principal started to say.

"I'll pick someone else," the Raven's coach promised.

"Thank you," the man said, and then walked out. As he headed back to his office, he noticed the new boy, Lucas Mallone. He frowned, remembering the boy's quietness and somewhat guarded behavior he had exhibited since he had shown up. Then there was Whitey's description of how Lucas had turned down a spot on the Ravens, which normally wouldn't have raised suspicions since there were a lot of people who were good at things but didn't like joining teams or clubs. However, the man had stated that it had seemed like Lucas had **wanted** to say 'yes'. He began to approach the teen, but was cut off by Brooke Davis who bounded up to the blonde-haired youth. He saw her say something to him and he shrugged. Whatever was going on, the girl seemed to know about it. The man glanced at the clock and sighed. No time to question the two. He had to be in his office. Reluctantly, he headed in that direction as the kids in the halls went in different directions. In class, Lucas sat at his desk and drummed his fingers on the wood nervously.

"Hey, it'll be okay," Brooke told him.

"Brooke, what if they get out? What if they convince the police that I was lying?" Lucas worried.

"Luke, that won't happen. They have documentation of your bruises and---everything else. The police will use that," Brooke reminded him.

"I'm scared Brooke. The dream last night felt so real," Lucas admitted. She leaned over and put a hand on his wrist.

"Hey, you're safe now. You just have to hold on to that," she reminded. He smiled softly, and then stared straight ahead as the teacher came in and started the lesson. Surprisingly, the rest of the day went by fast, and in no time at all, the last bell had wrung.

"Hey, Haley, I was wondering if we could put in some extra tutoring tonight. The equations that Mr. Gregory taught us have me completely confused," Nathan said, as they headed out.

"Yeah, sure. No problem," Haley agreed. A thin, gangly boy walked up to Lucas and Brooke.

"Hi, Brooke," he greeted.

"Oh, hey. Oh, we need to do our project, don't we?" Brooke realized.

"Yeah. Due date's coming up. I wrote everything down. If you want---" he began to offer.

"No. That's not fair to you. We were paired up and you have the right to expect me to be just as committed to this as you are," she interrupted. Then, turning to Lucas, "Listen, I don't want you to think that I'm bailing---"

"No, no, no, no. I totally understand," he interrupted. "Go," he encouraged.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She squeezed his hand. "Call me later."

"I will." Brooke walked off with the other boy and Lucas walked out of the entrance and down the steps. To his surprise, Nathan's father was standing near the bottom of the steps.

"Hey, you're Nathan's dad, right?" he questioned. The man nodded.

"And you're Nathan's friend," he confirmed.

"Lucas," Lucas stated. "If you're waiting for Nathan, I heard him ask a girl named Haley if they could get in an extra tutoring session," he continued.

"Actually, I was waiting for you," the man corrected him.

"**Me**?" Lucas repeated. Why had been waiting for him? He hadn't done anything. Or had he? His eyes clouded as he tried to think of what he could've done to get himself in trouble with this guy.

"You're not in trouble," the man assured. "In fact, if anyone's in trouble, it's me," he added with a laugh. Lucas looked at him in confusion. What was he talking about?

"I don't mean to be rude, but I **am** waiting for someone," the boy reminded.

"Oh, right. Of course," the man recalled. "Lucas, I understand that you had to get some blood work done the other day," he continued. Lucas stiffened.

"Yeah, so?" he asked guardedly. Was this one of his dad's tricks? Had he paid this guy to threaten him?

"You don't have anything to worry about," Dan hastened to assure, seeing the look. "The only reason I know about it is because they called me," he told him.

"Why would they call **you** about **my** blood?" Lucas questioned, not understanding.

"That's a valid question," Dan allowed. "They called me because apparently, your blood matched Nathan's," he continued. Lucas stared, and then blinked.

"Wait. What?" he asked. What was this guy talking about?

"Lucas, I'm your father," Dan said.

TO BE CONTINUED…

AUTHOR'S NOTE

The second half will be called Independence Day Part 2. Yes, I know it's weird to have two different titles for episodes that connect, but this series does it all the time.


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